USA Baseball Ranked Number One In Latest WBSC Baseball World Rankings

USA Baseball sits atop the baseball world rankings for the first time since 2014

February 22, 2018

DURHAM, N.C. - USA Baseball has reclaimed the top spot in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Baseball World Rankings as announced today by the WBSC. Following a 2017 season in which Team USA swept its international competitions at the 12U, 15U, 18U, Collegiate and Professional levels, the U.S. is ranked number one for the first time since 2014.

"To be recognized by the WBSC as the preeminent baseball program in the world is a testament to all of the hard work that our athletes, coaches and USA Baseball staff have put in to our national team programs," said Paul Seiler, Executive Director and CEO of USA Baseball. "Our organization has celebrated unprecedented success in the past few years and we will continue to build on those achievements as we reach toward new heights."

The WBSC Baseball World Rankings weigh a country's National Team performance - from U-12 to Professional - in WBSC-sanctioned international competitions over a four-year period.

USA Baseball had its most successful year in 2017, setting a record for most annual Baseball World Ranking points amassed with 2,127. The U.S. swept through its international competition with gold medals at the World Baseball Classic, WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, COPABE Pan Am U-15 Championships and the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup; in addition to the Collegiate National Team winning all three of its international friendship series against Chinese Taipei, Cuba and Japan. It is the first time in international baseball history a federation has won all of its international competitions in a calendar year.

Since 2015, USA Baseball has won five world championships, including being the reigning World Baseball Classic Champion, as well as the reigning world champions at the 12U and 18U age levels. In total, the U.S. has medaled in all 11 international tournaments it has participated in since 2015, winning seven gold medals, three silver medals and one bronze.

Additionally, the Collegiate National Team has won six of eight international friendship series against Chinese Taipei (2-0-1), Cuba (3-0) and Japan (1-1) in that time frame, including winning the 5th Annual USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series in Cuba - the first-ever series victory on Cuban soil in USA Baseball history.

The USA Baseball Women's National Team - currently ranked number three in the WBSC Women's Baseball World Rankings - has also won two gold medals since 2015, highlighted by an 11-3 victory over Canada in the finals of the 2015 Pan American Games.

Nineteen USA Baseball Alumni in 2018 MLB All-Star Game

Eleven past members of Collegiate National Team appear on rosters

July 13, 2018

DURHAM, N.C. - Nineteen USA Baseball alumni have been named to the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game rosters, the organization announced on Friday. Ten members of the National Team (NL) roster have suited up for the red, white and blue, while nine of the American League (AL) All-Stars played for Team USA.

Four alumni will start the game in the field for the NL, including Nolan Arenado, Brandon Crawford, Freddie Freeman and Bryce Harper. In addition, alums Manny Machado and Mike Trout are among the AL's nine starting position players.

Of the 19 alumni, twelve have won gold medals with Team USA and eight have represented the stars and stripes on multiple USA Baseball national teams. Alex Bregman leads the way in both categories with appearances on five separate national teams and four gold medals.

In total, 11 alumni competed with the Collegiate National Team, seven played for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic (WBC), six suited up for the 18U National Team, four participated with the 16U National Team and two represented the U.S. on the Professional National Team.

The 2018 MLB All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 17, at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

The full list of USA Baseball alumni that appear on 2018 All-Star Game rosters is as follows:

2017 USA Baseball Award Winners Announced

December 12, 2017

18U National Team member Triston Casas named Richard W. "Dick" Case Award Winner

DURHAM, N.C. - USA Baseball announced the recipients of its annual organizational awards on Tuesday, recognizing the top athletes, coaches and performances from the 2017 USA Baseball national teams. 18U National Team member Triston Casas was named the Richard W. "Dick" Case Award winner, given annually to USA Baseball's top player in honor of the organization's founding Executive Director and CEO. Casas is the third 18U National Team member to earn athlete of the year honors.

USA Baseball honored the World Baseball Classic Team with three awards in 2017, including the Team of the Year award after winning its first-ever gold medal in the event. Manager Jim Leyland was named the Rod Dedeaux Coach of the Year and World Baseball Classic MVP Marcus Stroman earned the International Performance of the Year award following his outstanding performance in the championship game in March.

Stroman shares the International Performance of the Year award with 12U National Team member Josh Atomancyzyk, whose performance against Japan in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup kept Team USA in medal contention en route to its third consecutive Baseball World Cup title. This is the first time in USA Baseball's history two individual performances were recognized with this award.

"We are delighted to recognize these outstanding performances that led USA Baseball to new heights in 2017," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball's Executive Director/CEO. "Our on-field performances are certainly paramount to our organization's success but in addition to that, each one of these athletes represented the United States in an exceptional manner as a global ambassador for the game of baseball and our country on the international stage. We are truly proud to recognize these individuals and teams with our annual awards."

In partnership with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Baseball also named David Sharp (12U National Team) and Bill Burniston (Collegiate National Team) the Developmental and Volunteer Coach of the Year award recipients, respectively.

USA Baseball had its most successful year in 2017 after sweeping through its international competition with gold medals at the World Baseball Classic, WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, COPABE Pan Am U-15 Championships and the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup; in addition to the Collegiate National Team winning all three of its international friendship series against Chinese Taipei, Cuba and Japan. It is the first time in international baseball history a federation has won all of its international competitions in a calendar year.

Three-time USA Baseball alumnus Triston Casas (American Heritage High School, Pembroke Pines, Fla.) was awarded the Richard W. "Dick" Case Award following his performance with the 18U National Team at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay, Canada. Casas was named the tournament MVP after leading Team USA to its fourth consecutive world championship title. A stalwart at first base, his bat did the most damage, collecting tournament-highs with 13 RBIs and three home runs, including a two-run shot in the gold medal game. The WBSC also named Casas its Baseball Player of the Year at its annual congress in Gaborone, Batswana in October.

Casas has now won three gold medals in his young career with Team USA. In addition to winning the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in 2017, he also won a gold medal with the 2015 15U National Team and the 2016 18U National Team in the COPABE Pan Am Championships. He was also a member of the 2016 17U National Team Development Program.

The World Baseball Classic Team was named USA Baseball's Team of the Year after winning its first-ever title when it defeated Puerto Rico, 8-0, in the gold medal game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Pitcher Marcus Stroman (Toronto Blue Jays) was named the MVP of the tournament and Eric Hosmer (Kansas City Royals) and Christian Yelich (Miami Marlins) joined him on the All-Tournament Team. The team finished the tournament with a 7-2 overall record and its success led to earning the USOC Team of the Month award for March, as well as its manager, Jim Leyland, being named the USA Baseball Rod Dedeaux Coach of the Year.

"The managerial expertise Jim brought to our World Baseball Classic team was impressive to watch," said Seiler. "Our nation has such high expectations for success in our sport, and Jim led an incredible group of players and staff to our first gold medal in this event. We're incredibly proud to call him an alumnus of USA Baseball and honor him with this award."

Leyland will be honored at the Golden Spikes Award and Rod Dedeaux Foundation Award Dinner, which will be held June 28 at the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles.

USA Baseball honored two athletes with the International Performance of the Year award: World Baseball Classic MVP Marcus Stroman and 12U National Team member Josh Atomancyzyk (Franklin, Texas). Stroman earned his MVP award with a shutdown performance over previously unbeaten Puerto Rico in the gold medal game of the 2017 WBC. In the final, Stroman pitched 6.1 innings of one-hit baseball and struck out three, silencing a Puerto Rican offense that was averaging nearly eight runs a game. His outstanding performance paved the way for a dominant 8-0 victory and the 2017 World Baseball Classic title. He was later named the Male Athlete of the Month for March by the USOC.

With a spot in the gold medal game of the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup on the line, Atomancyzyk took the mound for the red, white and blue against Japan and was masterful; tossing 5.1 innings, allowing one earned run on four hits, while striking out a game-high seven batters in the victory. In addition to his pitching prowess, Atomancyzyk went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two home runs and five RBIs in the 6-1 victory.

12U National Team Manager David Sharp (Huntsville High School; Huntsville, Ala.) was named the Developmental Coach of the Year after leading the 12U team to its third consecutive WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup title. Sharp led his team to an 8-1 record, defeating host-country Chinese Taipei, 7-2, in the gold medal game in front of a sellout crowd of 11,000. Under his guidance, the team outscored its opponents 107-43 and finished the tournament hitting .423 with 40 extra-base hits.

Bill Burniston was named the USA Baseball Volunteer Coach of the Year after serving as the performance specialist for the Collegiate National Team. Burniston provided unparalleled service to the athletes by offering creative and engaging training sessions that not only allowed the national team to prepare and excel on the field, but also promoted and protected their overall long-term health.

"Bill has been an invaluable addition to our Collegiate National Team family for years," said Seiler. "He is a world-class professional in his field and his engaging demeanor leads to positive and fulfilling relationships with the athletes that last long after their time with USA Baseball."

USA Baseball's Richard W. "Dick" Case Player of the Year and Team of the Year honorees serve as the organization's nominees in their respective categories with the USOC, who honors one Sportsman and Team of the Year annually based on nominations from its National Governing Bodies.

Eighty-Five USA Baseball Alumni in 2017 MLB Postseason

DURHAM, N.C. - Eighty-five Team USA alumni have made the Major League Baseball Postseason with their respective clubs in 2017, USA Baseball announced on Tuesday.

All ten teams that have made the 2017 postseason have at least five alumni on their rosters; seven boast eight or more and four have at least 10 players that have represented the red, white and blue.

The Washington Nationals lead the way with 14 alumni, while the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros rosters all feature 10 alums. The Dodgers are close behind with nine and the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks both have eight.

Of the 85 alumni, 46 are gold medalists, 22 took home silver and eight secured bronze for the stars and stripes, including 12 that won gold at the 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) and three from the bronze medal-winning 2008 Olympic team.

In addition, 20 of the players have represented the U.S. on multiple teams with seven-time alum Albert Almora and five-time alum Alex Bregman having competed on the most USA Baseball squads.

The postseason starts Tuesday, October 3, with the American League Wild Card game between the Minnesota Twins and the New York Yankees at 8 p.m. ET.

The complete list of USA Baseball alumni, by Major League Club, who appear on 2017 MLB Postseason rosters is as follows:

Arizona Diamondbacks (8):
Jake Barrett - 2008 18U National Team, 2015 Professional National Team
Daniel Descalso - 2009 Professional National Team
Paul Goldschmidt - 2017 World Baseball Classic Team
David Hernandez - 2013 World Baseball Classic Team
Chris Iannetta - 2009 World Baseball Classic Team
Jeff Mathis - 2005 Professional National Team
A.J. Pollock - 2011 Professional National Team
Robbie Ray - 2009 18U National Team

Stroman, U.S. WBC Team Honored by the USOC

April 5, 2017

DURHAM, N.C. - The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) announced Marcus Stroman and the U.S. World Baseball Classic Team as Best of March honorees for the Team USA Awards presented by Dow on Wednesday. Stroman and the World Baseball Classic champions are now eligible for 2017 Best of Year honors.

Stroman (Toronto Blue Jays) is the third athlete in USA Baseball's history to be named the USOC's Athlete of the Month and the first since 16U National Team member Jeff Flaig was honored in August of 2001. The World Baseball Classic team is the ninth USA Baseball team to be honored by the USOC and the first since the 18U National Team was selected in October of 2009.

Stroman led Team USA to its first-ever World Baseball Classic title and was named tournament MVP after taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning of the championship game against Puerto Rico. He completed the tournament with the lowest ERA (2.35) among all U.S. starting pitchers and led the team in strikeouts, while surrendering runs in only one of his team-leading 15.1 innings pitched.

Team USA won its first WBC title in decisive fashion, defeating Puerto Rico, 8-0, in front of a home crowd in Los Angeles. The U.S. finished with a 6-2 overall record, avenging its two losses against the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, while adding a thrilling 2-1 semifinal victory over two-time WBC champion Japan. U.S. infielder Eric Hosmer (Kansas City Royals) and outfielder Christian Yelich (Miami Marlins) joined Stroman on the All-Tournament Team.

The Team USA monthly awards are voted on by the USOC National Governing Bodies, Olympic fans and members of the national media, based on their performances in an international competition in a given month.

About the Team USA Awards
Each National Governing Body may nominate one female, one male and one team per discipline. An internal nominating committee selects five nominees from both the male and female categories, and three from the team category to advance to the voting round. Votes received from NGB representatives and select members of the media account for 50 percent of the final tally, with the other half determined by online fan voting via TeamUSA.org/Awards.

Each of the five monthly men's and women's finalists, and three team finalists automatically qualify for consideration for the 2017 Team USA Awards presented by Dow Best of the Year. Visit TeamUSA.org for a complete list of monthly finalists from the 2016-17 qualification period. The 2017 Best of the Year Awards will be held in December.

Josh Harrison Added to 2017 WBC Roster

March 4, 2017

DURHAM, N.C. -- USA Baseball added infielder Josh Harrison to its 2017 World Baseball Classic roster on Saturday. Harrison will join the rest of Team USA when they arrive for their first workout on Tuesday, March 7, in Florida.

Harrison is a six-year veteran of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and was an All-Star in 2014. He replaces third baseman Matt Carpenter on the U.S. roster.

In another roster move, right-handed pitcher Jake Odorizzi will replace Sonny Gray in the team's designated pitcher pool. Odorizzi has been a member of the Tampa Bay Rays since 2013.

Players in the designated pitcher pool will not join the team in the first round but are available for designation if the team advances in the tournament.

USA Baseball's World Baseball Classic team will play its first-round games as part of Pool C at Marlins Park in Miami. The U.S. will face Colombia at 6:00 pm (ET) on Friday, March 10, before taking on defending champion Dominican Republic on March 11, and Canada on March 12.

USA Baseball Announces 2017 World Baseball Classic Roster

February 8, 2017

DURHAM, N.C. - USA Baseball announced on Wednesday the 28-man roster for the 2017 World Baseball Classic. The roster is made up of 13 pitchers and 15 position players, and features 13 USA Baseball alumni - five of whom participated in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

The roster also features 18 Major League All-Stars, two Most Valuable Players and nine Gold Glove recipients.

"We're excited to kick off the 2017 World Baseball Classic with the announcement of our roster," said Paul Seiler, Executive Director and CEO of USA Baseball. "USA Baseball strives to compete at the highest level on the international stage and we are thrilled to welcome a group of stellar athletes who will work tirelessly towards a World Baseball Classic title for the United States."

Luke Gregerson, Eric Hosmer, Adam Jones, Jonathan Lucroy and Giancarlo Stanton all return from the 2013 World Baseball Classic squad and join fellow alums Chris Archer, Alex Bregman, Brandon Crawford, Danny Duffy, Mychal Givens, Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey and Marcus Stroman on the roster. The USA Baseball alumni collectively span two 16U National Teams, four 18U National Teams, four Collegiate National Teams, two Professional National Teams (comprised of players not on active 25-man Major League Baseball rosters) and one World Baseball Classic team.

The 2017 World Baseball Classic will reunite former USA Baseball teammates in McCutchen and Posey (2004 18U National Team), and Archer, Duffy and Hosmer (2010 Professional National Team).

The U.S. also announced the addition of Brett Cecil, Michael Fulmer, Sonny Gray, J.A. Happ, Drew Smyly and Alex Wilson to the designated pitcher pool. For the first time, teams will be able to select up to two pitchers to join the roster following each round of the tournament. These players will not immediately join Team USA in the first round but are available for designation upon advancing.

Gray (2009, 2010 Collegiate National Team) and Smyly (2011 Professional National Team) are also alumni of USA Baseball.

The Miami Marlins lead all Major League clubs with three players represented on the Team USA roster, while eight teams are represented with two athletes apiece (Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals).

USA Baseball's World Baseball Classic team will play its first-round games as part of Pool C at Marlins Park in Miami. The U.S. will face Colombia at 6:00 pm (ET) on Friday, March 10, before taking on defending champion Dominican Republic on March 11, and Canada on March 12.

Joe Torre Named General Manager for Team USA

June 16, 2016

DURHAM, N.C. -- USA Baseball announced Thursday that Hall of Fame Manager Joe Torre has been named the General Manager of Team USA for the 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC). Currently Major League Baseball's Chief Baseball Officer, Torre made his debut in red, white and blue in 2013 as the manager for Team USA in the third installment of the WBC.

"I'm excited to be involved again," said Torre. "I had a taste of international play in 2013 and was disappointed that we didn't advance further. I'm going to do everything I can to build the right team and help Jim Leyland take us to the next level."

"We are thrilled to announce Joe Torre as the general manager of the U.S. for the upcoming World Baseball Classic," said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO. "Joe's track record speaks for itself, and we're excited to have his leadership in place as we attempt to secure our first World Baseball Classic title."

Torre, a nine-time All-Star who played in the Major Leagues from 1960-1977, was a .297 career hitter with 252 home runs and 1,185 RBI. He was the 1971 National League Most Valuable Player as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, batting .363 with 230 hits, 24 home runs and 137 RBI. Torre served as a Major League manager for 29 seasons, leading the New York Mets (1977-1981), the Atlanta Braves (1982-1984), the Cardinals (1990-1995), the New York Yankees (1996-2007), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2008-2010).

Torre was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Era Expansion Committee as a Manager in 2014. His 2,326 wins as a manager rank fifth all-time. The Brooklyn, New York native guided the Yankees to four World Series Championships (1996, 1998-2000), six American League pennants and 12 postseason appearances, including 10 A.L. East titles, in his 12 years as manager. Torre then led the Dodgers to two consecutive N.L. West crowns in 2008 and 2009, which included two straight appearances in the National League Championship Series, before stepping away from the dugout following the 2010 season.

In 2011, Torre became Major League Baseball's Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations, and his current title is Chief Baseball Officer, a role in which he is the primary liaison between the Commissioner's Office and the general managers and field managers of the 30 Major League Clubs.

The U.S. is looking for its first World Baseball Classic title after a semifinal appearance in 2009 and two second-round exits in 2006 and 2013. In addition to Torre in 2013, the club was previously led by Buck Martinez and Davey Johnson, and most recently featured a lineup of Major League Baseball All-Stars like Ryan Braun, R.A. Dickey, Jimmy Rollins, Giancarlo Stanton, and David Wright.

The final WBC qualifier will be held in September at MCU Park in Brooklyn, N.Y and will feature teams from Brazil, Great Britain, Israel and Pakistan. The winner of that tournament will join Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United States and Venezuela at the 2017 event.

In April, former Detroit Tigers Manager Jim Leyland was named the manager of the 2017 World Baseball Classic Team. Currently joining Leyland on the coaching staff are Jeff Jones, Marcel Lachemann, Lloyd McClendon, Willie Randolph, and Alan Trammell.

USA Baseball will look to finalize the coaching staff and U.S. roster over the next several months.

Jim Leyland To Manage Team USA in 2017 World Baseball Classic

April 15, 2016

DURHAM, N.C. -- USA Baseball announced Friday that Jim Leyland has been named the manager of Team USA for the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Currently serving as a special assistant for the Detroit Tigers, Leyland, a three-time Manager of the Year Award winner, will make his international coaching debut for Team USA in the fourth installment of the World Baseball Classic.

"It's a great honor to be named Manager of Team USA," said Leyland. "I'm looking forward to working with USA Baseball on this challenge in my career. I'm excited to get started & flattered with this opportunity."

"We could not be happier to have Jim Leyland serve as the manager of the 2017 U.S. World Baseball Classic team," said Paul Seiler, Executive Director/CEO of USA Baseball. "His tremendous managerial success will produce immediate respect and rapport amongst the players and staff and we look forward to him leading Team USA to new heights in the World Baseball Classic."

The U.S. is looking for its first World Baseball Classic title after a semifinal appearance in 2009 and two second-round exits in 2006 and 2013.

Leyland served as a Major League manager for 22 seasons, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates (1986-1996), the Florida Marlins (1997-1998), the Colorado Rockies (1999), and the Detroit Tigers (2006-2013). Leyland ranks 15th on the all-time wins list among Major League managers with 1,769 wins. He was named the National League Manager of the Year in 1990 and 1992 and the American League Manager of the Year in 2006. Leyland led the Florida Marlins to a World Series title in 1997 and the Detroit Tigers to two American League Championships in 2006 and 2012, before stepping down as manager after the 2013 season.

Joining Leyland on the coaching staff are Jeff Jones, Marcel Lachemann, Lloyd McClendon, Willie Randolph, and Alan Trammell. USA Baseball will look to finalize the coaching staff and U.S. roster over the next several months.

Lachemann and Randolph collectively hold nine years of international coaching experience and will join the staff as assistant coaches. Lachemann will be coaching with USA Baseball for the eighth time in 2017. He has served as the pitching coach in all three previous World Baseball Classics and was an assistant for the 2007 USA Baseball World Cup team and Beijing 2008 Olympic team, winning a gold medal and bronze medal respectively. Lachemann served as the manager for the then-named California Angels from 1994-1996 and currently serves as a special assistant to the general manager of the Los Angeles Angels.

Randolph will be coaching for Team USA for the third time and in his second World Baseball Classic (2013). Most recently he was the manager of the inaugural Premier12™ team that won a silver medal in 2015 for which he was named the USA Baseball Rod Dedeaux Coach of the Year. Randolph is a baseball veteran with 18 years of playing experience and 16 years of coaching and managerial experience. A six-time All-Star, he won back-to-back World Series titles as a second baseman in 1977 and 1978 for the New York Yankees and managed the New York Mets to a NL East division title in 2006.

Making their respective international coaching debuts for Team USA are Jones, McClendon and Trammell, who will serve as assistant coaches in 2017.

Jones, who most recently served as pitching coach of the Detroit Tigers from 2007-2015, pitched for the Oakland Athletics from 1980-1984, also spent time as a coach for the Tigers during the 1995, 1999-2000 and 2002 seasons. During his tenure as pitching coach with the Tigers, Justin Verlander (2011) and Max Scherzer (2013) both enjoyed CY Young Award winning seasons.

McClendon has 19 years of coaching experience at the major league level. The New York Mets drafted McClendon in 1980 and he spent time with the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates prior to joining the coaching ranks with the Pirates in 1997. In seven years as the Detroit Tigers' hitting coach from 2006-2013, a Detroit player won the American League batting title four times. He served as manager of the Pirates from 2001-2005 and the Seattle Mariners from 2014-2015. McClendon is currently the manager of the Toledo Mud Hens, the Triple-A affiliate of the Tigers.

Trammell played his entire career as a shortstop with the Tigers from 1977-1996, for whom he was named the World Series MVP during their title run in 1984. He won three Silver Slugger awards and four Gold Gloves. He was also a six-time All-Star. Trammell served as the Manager of the Tigers from 2003-2005 and recently rejoined the organization as a special assistant in 2014. Trammell will make his international coaching debut for the red, white, and blue as an assistant coach in 2017.

The final WBC qualifying round will be held in September at MCU Park in Brooklyn, N.Y and will feature teams from Brazil, Great Britain, Israel and Pakistan. The winner of that tournament will join Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United States and Venezuela in pool play at the 2017 event.

About the World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is the premier international baseball tournament, sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation, and features the best players in the world competing for their home countries and territories. More than 1.5 million fans from all over the world have attended tournament games, held in March 2006, 2009, and 2013. The upcoming World Baseball Classic will be played in March 2017 and will again feature the greatest baseball-playing nationals in the world. The tournament will be held every four years thereafter.

About USA Baseball
USA Baseball is the national governing body for the sport of baseball in the United States and is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and the World Baseball Softball Confederation. The organization selects and trains the World Baseball Classic, Premier12 and Pan Am teams (and all other USA Baseball Professional Teams); the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team; the USA Baseball 18U, 15U and 12U National Teams; and the USA Baseball Women's National Team, all of which participate in various international competitions each year. The organization is responsible for the continued proliferation and health of the sport, and leads a number of amateur initiatives including PLAYBALL and Pitch Smart. USA Baseball also presents the Golden Spikes Award annually to the top amateur baseball player in the country. For more information, please visit the organization's official websites: USABaseball.com, PLAYBALL.org, PitchSmart.org, GoldenSpikesAward.com and USABaseballShop.com.